Everyone loves a good kick around with friends and family, but before stepping onto the field of play, you need someone to actually serve as referee for the game. Refereeing a game can be physically demanding but not bad enough to cause too much discomfort. Apart from your fair sense of judgment and calm demeanor, you will still need extra tools to make your job as a referee that much easier. Here is a list of equipment every budding referee ought to possess before you officiate any game.
1. Full Soccer Kit
This includes your tracksuit, jersey top with breast pocket, shorts with back pocket, and socks to complete the whole outfit. Referee jerseys come in different colors but are usually all black, with only the top bearing different colors occasionally. It’s is important for your top and shorts to have a pocket, because that is where you will keep the items that will help you officiate a match.
2. Soccer Boots
It’s also important for a referee to have a good pair of football boots. These boots are needed to ensure that the referee can run comfortably up and down the field so he/she can keep up with the action on the pitch. Depending on the weather conditions, they must have a boot that is suitable for the football surface.
3. Whistle
This is a small instrument that usually makes a loud shrill sound when it is blown. Referees use this instrument to indicate the action of a match, such as indicating the start or end of a game, blow for a foul, indicate if a goal is scored, and any other function the referee might need to carry out during a match.
4. Red and Yellow Cards
These are small rectangular flat cards bearing the aforementioned color of the item. These are instruments used to penalize players for foul play, disruptive behavior, insulting officials, and any other offense deemed by the referee to be punishable. The red card indicates a straight dismissal from the game, while the yellow card is a warning. A player who gets shown 2 yellow cards gets an automatic red.
5. Pen and Notepad
This is used by the match official to jot down the names of players penalized during a match.
6. Spray Can
Nowadays, referees are given a spray can containing foam to mark the area of a pitch where a freekick will be taken from. It is also used to mark the spot where the defending team’s players should stand behind during a freekick
7. Digital Watch
This helps the referee know when to commence or stop a game. Apart from letting the referee know how much of the match is left to be played, these days the watch also works in tandem with special goal-line technology that will buzz the referee’s watch if the ball crosses the line.
8. Special Two-Way Communication Device
This is a special gadget that helps the referee communicate with his assistant referees and virtual assistant referee (VAR) during a match.
9. Assistant Referee’s Flag
This assists the assistant referee to indicate for a foul, throwing, corner kick, goal kick, and substitution.
10. Number Board
This is used by the reserve referee to show how many minutes of extra time and shirt numbers of players who are being substituted.
